Knowing what we're about

One of the crucial things for a solitary witch is to be resourced. Unless you are following a clearly-defined tradition it is easy to lose your way. One of the major ways we resource ourselves is reading, something which can provide difficulties beyond the how-to books. As we advance I believe reading serves a different purpose: I know I've illustrated this with a Buddhist monk, although I think witches can partake of the monastic idea of lectio divina, although we would probably call its intended outcome grounding. At the moment my lectio is the Hagakure, a mediaeval Japanese samurai manual. This passage comes from the very beginning:

Although it stands to reason that a samurai should be mindful of the Way of the Samurai, it would seem that we are
all negligent. Consequently, if someone were to ask, "What is the true meaning of the Way of the Samurai?" the
person who would be able to answer promptly is rare. This is because it has not been established in one's mind
beforehand. From this, one's unmindfulness of the Way can be known.
Negligence is an extreme
thing.

This has caused me to ask myself, 'what is the true nature of the way of the witch?' And I've surprised myself with my answers. 'Seeing, acknowledging & going with the tides of time & life' - unexpectedly fluffy-sounding for me! 'Being the one who will do what has to be done.' 'A way of seeing which isn't shared by everyone.' Perhaps it is impossible to give a simple answer to this one, & I'm sure I'll be returning to it, but I've discovered a new meaning: 'Surprising even myself at times.'
------------------